England Defeat Australia by 7 wickets in T20 World Cricket Cup
England Defeat Australia by 7 wickets in T20 World Cricket Cup
T20 World Cricket Cup
England charged to an emphatic win over Australia by beating them by seven wickets in the summit clash of the Twenty20 World Cup at the Kensington Oval at Bridgetown on Sunday.
David Hussey struck a fighting 59 as Australia posted 147 for six against England.
Playing in their maiden final of a Twenty20 World Cup, Australia made a disastrous start after being put into bat as they were eight for three after 2.1 overs before David Hussey’s 54-ball effort took them to a respectable score under overcast conditions and on a wicket which had moisture early on.
David, who came to the crease at eight for three in the third over, got support from Cameron White (19-ball 30) and captain Michael Clarke (35-ball 27) at Kensington Oval here.
Collingwood’s decision to bowl after winning the toss apparently to use the fast and bouncy pitch first paid rich dividend as three Australian batsmen were out by the third over for just eight runs in a sensational start to the grand finale.
Ryan Sidebottom induced Shane Watson (2) a top edge off the third ball of the final match which wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter could not quite hold on but Graeme Swann took the rebound to reduce Australia to two for one.
Next over and five runs later, a brilliant under-arm throw by Luke Wright found David Warner (2) well short of the crease after being called for a single by Clarke off the bowling of Tim Bresnan.
Two balls later, it was the turn of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (1) to make a hasty return to the pavillion after facing just two balls, with Krieswetter making a fine catch diving high to his left though television replays suggested the ball came off the Australian’s thigh.
Run rate plummeted with the Australians scoring just 24 from the first powerplay six overs and they were in deep trouble after Clarke perished in the 10th over for run-a-ball 27. His opposite number Paul Collingwood took a fine catch at mid-wicket after Clarke had failed to keep a Swann flighted ball and Australia were 45 for four in 9.2 overs.
It was left to White and David Hussey to repair the tottering Australian innings and the duo stitched a 50-run partnership from 38 balls for the fifth wicket to take the score nearer the 100 mark.
White and Hussey took 21 runs from the 13th over bowled by Michael Yardy with a six each before the former was out in the 16th over of the bowling of Wright. White holed out to Stuart Broad who made amends for a futile attempt to dismiss David Hussey in the earlier over by taking a superb catch.
That brought Hussey brothers David and Michael at the crease and they raised 47 runs from just 22 balls for the sixth wicket before the former was out for 59 which was studded with two fours and as many sixes.
Michael Hussey, who cracked a 24-ball 60 to help Australia score a sensational victory over Pakistan in the semifinal, remained not out on 17 from 10 balls with the help of two fours.
Pacer Ryan Sidebottom was the most successful England bowler with two for 26 from his four overs while Swann and Wright chipped in with a wicket each.
